1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus and, more particularly, to such an apparatus which is capable of fully supporting a damaged vehicle and which is adapted to be attached to a selected portion of a damaged vehicle and either securely anchor, apply a pulling force, or is free to travel either latterally, fore-aft, and vertically while supporting the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous alignment mechanisms have been designed in the past so as to enable the repair and alignment of a damaged vehicle without large expenditures of time and man hours. One of the most popular such mechanisms is a device wherein the damaged vehicle is placed on a treadway and movable pulling powers apply forces through chains to selected portions of the damaged vehicle in order to realign the vehicle. The damaged vehicle is normally supported on the treadway by chains and/or blocks. More recently, various types of anchoring stands have been introduced and are used on occasion. The installation of these stands is time consuming; further, these anchoring stands have a very limited height adjustment such that these prior art devices are not able to change the balance of the load from the suspension of the damaged vehicle to the holding or anchoring device.
In the case of a unibody vehicle the rocker panels are the only effective portion of the damaged vehicle to which to apply a pulling force to realign the vehicle unless the vehicle is provided with shipping slots in the frame as on General Motors Corporation's "X-Body" cars. None of these prior art alignment mechanisms are capable of attachment to any selected portion of the damaged vehicle frame and at that point of attachment either apply a pulling force, securely hold or anchor that portion of the vehicle, or allow lateral, fore-aft and vertical travel of that portion of the damaged vehicle all while fully supporting the vehicle.